Walmart U.S. Manufacturing Innovation Fund

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What is the Walmart U.S. Manufacturing
Innovation Fund?

Innovation is part of the heart
and soul of Walmart. Before it was a buzzword, Walmart has had an unwavering
commitment to innovation in its approach to business, leadership and focus
on the customer. The Walmart U.S. Manufacturing Innovation Fund is a partnership
between Walmart, the Walmart Foundation and the United States Conference of
Mayors (USCM). The Fund is focused on the development of U.S. manufacturing,
with a specific goal of making it both easier and more competitive to make
household goods in the U.S.

Why is the Walmart U.S. Manufacturing
Innovation Fund important?

Walmart
is committed to American renewal and has announced it will buy an additional
$250 billion in U.S.-made products over the next 10 years in an effort to grow and
expand U.S. manufacturing and encourage the creation of U.S. jobs. By making
production in the U.S. more cost effective and efficient, Walmart can bring its
customers an increased number of U.S.-made products and manufacturers can
create more jobs in America. Together, these commitments represent a
significant investment that will help accelerate U.S. manufacturing.

How will the Walmart U.S. Manufacturing
Innovation Fund achieve this goal?

Funding research in the manufacturing space in focus areas identified as major challenges is another way Walmart can facilitate and accelerate U.S. manufacturing. The
Fund will achieve this goal through grants that directly support applied
research projects advancing innovative solutions to key challenges that, once
addressed, can lower the cost of making consumer products in the U.S.

Who is eligible to receive funding from the
Walmart U.S. Manufacturing Innovation Fund?

The
Fund looks primarily at the following criteria: (1) impact on consumer product
manufacturing, (2) stage of development and commercial viability, (3) degree of
innovation, and (4) ability of the organization and team to
successfully carry out the proposed project. Specific eligibility requirements
are as follows:

*Note: The original eligibility categories in the Request for Proposals were narrowly defined as 501(c)3 organizations exclusively. To make it easier for public universities to apply for a U.S. Manufacturing Innovation Fund grant, we have amended the process to now include (I) 501(c)(3) organizations or (II) public universities that are instrumentalities of a state government. We welcome applications from both categories.

1.Only U.S. 501(c)(3) organizations and public universities that are instrumentalities of a state government are eligible for funding at this time*2.
At least 50% of project teams must be
based in the U.S.3.
Project teams should seek sponsorship from the
mayor of a USCM mayor when submitting full project proposals4.
Proposed projects should address a
technological innovation that can advance U.S. manufacturing. The following
focus areas will be prioritized for funding:

- Projects reducing
the cost of producing textiles and apparel in the U.S.

Weaving

Fabric dyeing

Cut and sew

- Projects addressing
common manufacturing processes with broad application to many types of consumer
products

Tooling for injection molding

Small motor manufacturing

5.
Projects must have a budget exceeding $100,000
per year6.
Overhead costs must not exceed 10% of
total project budget7. Prospective
grantees should demonstrate an ability to conduct the proposed product via
expertise and/or past experience

The
Fund is currently not awarding grants for building or capital projects,
supplier agreements, or other non-research projects. Individuals,
municipalities and other government entities, political organizations and
current or potential Walmart suppliers are ineligible for funding.

Grant Recipients for 2014:

In 2014, seven leading research and development institutions were awarded a total of $4 million in grants to create new processes, ideas, and job creation that will foster America’s growing manufacturing footprint.

Georgia Tech Research Corporation for innovation of thread-count-based fabric motion control, a critical enabling technology for the automated production of sewn goods.

Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis (IUPUI) to advance and accelerate the industrial implementation of metal 3-D printing for the manufacturing of plastic injection tooling as an alternative to current metal-shaping practices.

North Carolina State University College of Textiles to address challenges to manufacturing of furniture cushions in the U.S. by implementing new technologies in both fabric printing and cut-and-sew automation.

Oregon State University todevelop two novel alternative mold fabricating approaches, and evaluate for functionality, precision and cost reduction potential.

Texas Tech University to support collaborative research on cotton breeding and biotechnology, cotton production, and various aspects of textile manufacturing, dyeing efficiency and specialty finishes.

University of Texas at Arlington to develop a novel manufacturing system that will autonomously prepare small motor sub-systems and assemble the motor components.

University of Georgia Research Foundation to develop an innovative approach to fabric dyeing that will greatly reduce, and perhaps eliminate, the need for water in dyeing cotton and cotton/polyester fabrics and yarns.

The fund, which focuses on the development of domestic manufacturing with a specific goal of advancing the production or assembly of consumer products in the U.S., will provide a total of $10 million in grants over the next five years. Read More about the grant's latest milestone in Walmart's unprecedented $250 billion domestic manufacturing commitment.